Taiwan opposition must shed independence advocacy: mainland

BEIJING - A mainland spokesman on Friday told Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to shed its advocacy for Taiwan independence in order to promote cross-Strait ties.

The DPP's insistence on the "one country on each side" idea is a fundamental roadblock to exchanges with the Chinese mainland's Communist Party of China (CPC), Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a press conference.

Ma said the mainland's Taiwan policy has been consistent and clear, adding that exchanges between the CPC and Taiwan parties must be conducted on the basis of the "1992 Consensus", which stresses the One China principle.

"Only by abnegating the separatist advocation of Taiwan independence can the DPP truly safeguard stability of the Taiwan Strait and peaceful development of cross-Strait ties," he said.

The spokesman's words came days after Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je said earlier this week that he was willing to assume a new role in the development of cross-Strait relations.

When commenting on the "1992 Consensus" on Tuesday, Ko said "one China" is not a problem and that agreements already signed between the mainland and Taiwan, as well as the exchange history between both sides, should be respected.

People on both sides should look to a common, better future, while the two sides should, based on the existing political foundation, uphold the principle of understanding each other, respecting each other and cooperating with each other and adhere to the spirit of "both sides belong to one family", Ko said.

At the core of the "1992 consensus", an agreement reached in 1992, is the acknowledgment that the Chinese mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China.